Red and Green
by lolly2222
Summary: Jane thinks back over the first time he met Lisbon and just what she means to him now.


**Authors note: So I had started an AU a few months ago that was so scarily similar to Unchaste Affair by Just Mosie it wasn't even funny. I think that fic is so good I have absolutely no reason to do mine (Read it if you haven't). **

**Thankfully I only had three chapters done so I've ripped them up for other projects, but where to put my how Lisbon and Jane met stumped me... so one shot it is!**

**Disclaimer: don't own anything but some trepidation regarding that spoiler about the season finale...**

**As usual its not beta'd and it's late so prob quite a few mistakes as I've been trying to remove the story parts. **

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Jane looked across from his couch at boss, best friend and soul mate. She was yelling at him for his stupidity over a stunt he pulled. She was resonating with anger making her all the more alluring and enchanting. She would never know just how many times a day he had to fight the urge to kiss her.

It is funny how people always discuss soul mates like you can only have one in life. He most certainly had two, though that had perhaps more to do with the dramatic change his soul had undergone in the years since he met and lost his wife, rather than his luck at locating like minded people.

He likes to think that back then his soul was a light grey, not bright white like his beautiful wife's. No, even then darkness had leached in sullying it, his fathers' negative influence and amoral cons had tinged his soul long before Red John got his hands on it.

Now it was a tumultuous whirl of black and crimson. Red had a grip on his soul that would perhaps never be released, regardless of the outcome of his revenge. He feared it was in him to the core. But now he had something to fight back with, a fierce woman with a bleakness of her own who was slowly working her magic on his essence, as she had done his heart.

If his soul was red, then Teresa Lisbon's was most certainly green; fresh, vibrant and earthy. Okay it perhaps held quite a bit of navy, she had her dark moments too but not black, never black.

He liked to think that by being with her all these years, her green was cancelling out his red, like with coloured light frequencies, or if all else fails, they would mix together to make that horrible muddy brown you always get in paints. He could live with that.

He thought back to when he had first encountered her, it was amusing that for such a successful partnership currently, the first time he met Lisbon was an epic failure.

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Virgil had explained to him that he believed he could aid the CBI more than the Sheriffs office he currently consulted for. The idea of being involved in many various crimes intrigued him.

He had the Sheriff and his men wrapped around his finger, no challenge there anymore. He was bored, his 'practice' was successful but it was so insipid, no your husbands not cheating, yes he is cheating, your money troubles will end, your deceased is happy now you're happy. Blah, blah, blah.

God help him his life was bland. Angela and he were strong, well they were having to work at it more but were still contented. Charlotte had just turned four and was an utter delight but he was growing idle and the devil was always there in the background with ideas.

He had been approached after passing along some ideas regarding a case he had heard about. The only obstacle to his new appointment was the people he would have to work with; they had to accept him as he would be passed along to wherever he was needed.

It had been a long drive to the headquarters. He was excited for the first time in a while, the uncertainty boosting his adrenaline, sparking his need, a sceptical and smart audience willing him to fail, oh how he loved to dazzle the non believers.

He had left behind the cerulean sky of Malibu for the more muted tones of Sacramento. The sea on his left was his constant companion, a sparkling accompaniment to the winding road that lay before him.

It was poignant, his solitary drive away from what he was, to what he was about to become. Had he known then, what he knew now he would have never left his comfort zone, his safe haven, his beloved family, but then he would never have met Lisbon and that would have been significant a loss to him too.

For all his wife was and for all the love he had for her, it was Teresa Lisbon who made him want to truly be a better person.

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He remembered the day as if it had just passed. It had been late in the afternoon when Virgil had ushered him upstairs, practically dragging him through security, thrusting his visitors pass into his hand. They had been waiting a half hour already and cops did not like to wait.

Jane entered the room and looked around, he was nervous, this surprised him. It held eleven men, four woman and Virgil of course. Hmm, a quick eye sweep of the crowd allowed his brain to collect the all important details he would call upon later, he paused upon a woman.

She had dark hair with emerald eyes and was pretty, very pretty. Jane was surprised by her appearance; she was more attractive and younger than any of the female deputies he worked with.

He examined her further noting her subtle makeup; enough to slightly enhance her already attractive features, she also styled her hair, keeping it neat and straightened.

He compared her to the other females here; she was definitely younger than them too and unlike the other woman had put some effort in. He idly wondered had she slept her way up the ranks, judging by several sidelong glances she was presently receiving from some of the men she was not short of admirers.

Virgil had been busy introducing him, on completion he went to work. She was watching him intently; her enticing eyes were almost boring through his head. He internally laughed at her attempts to read him; he decided to wow her first.

He turned to her smiling his most alluring grin, the one that the ladies loved so much.

"I believe I have a message for you Mrs?" He began, opening a rapport.

"It's Senior Agent Lisbon Mr Jane and I highly doubt that you have anything for me" she threw back as a few others snickered.

"Please call me Patrick" he asked again, trying to gain some ground.

"Why don't you just get on with it Mr Jane", she purposely emphasised his last name, a verbal dismissal.

"Lisbon" Virgil's warning was clear. He watched her lean back, still hostile but with no further comments.

So she responds to a father figure but does not fear men in power. She wears an antique cross very much for a woman but her lack of other jewellery gives it significance, some stress lines, more than from the job.

He figured a parental death, more than likely her mother.

"The message is from your mother" he watched for any tells, hers was so small he barely noticed it but it was there. Bingo.

"She said that she loves you and is proud of what you're doing" he smugly informed her, awaiting the usual gasp of astonishment, perhaps even some tears.

Lisbon simply raised her eyebrow.

"Mr Jane if you were in fact in contact with my mother, I think the only message she would have, would be for you" she answered sweetly.

"For me?" he questioned, intrigued by her suggestion, "what would she have to say to me."

"Well" Lisbon started, leaning slightly forward so Jane would subconsciously mirror her position.

"She'd tell you... ... to stop wasting her daughters' valuable time" she paused for a second before adding, "and you're over cocky, over dressed and you use too much hair gel."

She turned to Virgil, "are we done with this wannabe, because last time I checked this is the C.B.I not Vegas and I'd much rather spend my time solving crimes, than watching David Blaine here. Having a fake psychic can in no way benefit us or our reputation."

She stood to leave and he was even more surprised to see just how small she was, not just in height but she looked like she barely weighed 100 pounds. Was it even fair to have her as an agent she surely couldn't work in the field?

Jane swept the crowd to read the other agents reactions to her outburst. Nothing, not one sign of surprise at her rude behaviour to him or her complete disregard towards her superior's authority. Actually what he saw was mostly bemusement.

Crap now he would have to work twice as hard to win them over. Ok she clearly was able to stand up for herself and did so on regular occasions judging by everyone's lack of reaction, there was no way Miss pocket rocket slept her way to here then. She was fascinating.

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Jane smiled fondly at the memory, despite how hard it was to convince everyone just how good he was after her blatant dismissal. When Minnelli offered him the job, Jane insisted on working with Lisbon. This had surprised Virgil to no end, but how could he explain it, puzzles intrigued him and eight years on she was still as confusing, entertaining and mesmerising.

He never let his mind go there, to what could have happened over the years while working with her if Red John had never existed and his wife had survived. It was his darkest secret, he loved Lisbon, had done for more years than he cared to count.

He could never tell her though, not as long as Red John was a threat, but sometimes he let his guard down, lets his mind wander in the safety of his attic, under the dark blanket of night.

There he sees what might be, acknowledges what he feels and desires, in those few moments of indulgence, he fears he would have loved her anyway.


End file.
